Yesterday!! What a day!

 Yesterday was not my best day.. we were up washed, dressed and on our way before 8:00 am! My appointment was for 8:30 at the hospital. The nurse explained what was to happen, I was to have the catheter out and go home, and to come back at 3:00 pm to be  checked and a bladder scan to check how well my bladder was emptying and I was given a fluid chart to fill in. Any problems, ie I couldn't wee to go back there right away. I did ask what was the chance I couldn't wee and she said 50/ 50! That did not fill me with confidence.

It really hurt having the catheter out, it never had before! We were home before 9 ! And I did wee a little, which was a relief.. but then the worst happened, horrible, horrible pain! Just like it was when I went to to the Emergency Dept in the middle of the night in November, because I could not wee! It was awful.. fortunately I had been given some Fosfomycin, a strong anti biotic, by my own Dr back in November when I first had the catheter, for just in case!  However even with that and pain killers I had a miserable 10 hours, in pain and weeing every 20 mins.. At the follow appointment at 3:00 pm another nurse just said it would be ok with the Fosfomycin and the bladder scan showed my bladder was emptying properly! 

So a horrendous very painful afternoon and evening till 1:30am when I eventually went to sleep.. woke about 5 I was able to wee with slight discomfort and then slept till 8

Feeling very weak this morning, but I survived.. thank you for the kind thoughts and prays yesterday, prayer got me through.

I'm having some easy days, keeping warm and drinking water!

Chrisxx 

The day has arrived!

 We haven't had the storms like some parts of the country but we have had some very wet and windy days.

Saturday was bright and sunny but cold. We did manage a walk on the prom in the afternoon, so did  a lot of other people and their dogs, all nicely cosy in very colourful dog coats, doesn't this one take the 'biscuit?' 

I speak to all the dogs as we walk along!  It was cold, but I was well dressed with my warm wool cardigan, my wool dress, scarf and gloves and wind proof coat.. the scarf is a very colourful knitted one, but not by me, but by 'Mr Next!!' 

We resisted an ice cream; you might think ice cream on a cold day?? But ice cream eaters can eat it any time, any day! But we did have a coffee from Booths pavement cafe, sitting in the car watching the sea crashing over the rocks. 

Sunday it was wet and very windy, so once again our windows have a thin film of sand on them.. but they can wait for the window cleaner, who is away in Florida, Disney land! He was telling us he takes his family there every January.

We did have a worrying time when there was a power cut, which lasted for over an hour. Dh checked all our electrics but it wasn't just us, as we  could hear house alarms all blaring very loudly outside.. I was concerned as our gas central heating needs electricity to work.. such a relief when it all clicked back on.

Yesterday was very pleasant and after our Welsh Lesson we went out for a Cheese n Ham toastie and coffee and then to the food warehouse to buy some SW meals. Nice to have for those evenings when you don't feel like cooking.

So starting our new week on the SW Food Plan, I did say good bye to 3 pounds last week.

But today the day has arrived to have this catheter removed.. then there is the trial to see if my bladder will work! I'm worried sick, I've slept fitfully?, waking up off and on through the night. It's not the worry of having another catheter, altho I really don't want that, but the pain of not being able to pass urine. Its excruciating, I don't think I can go through that again, so praying hard!

    Chrisxx

TIPS to Stop feeling bad about your body

1.Remind yourself that nobody notices things you obsess over.

2. Wear clothes that make you feel  comfortable and confident.

3.Stop comparing yourself to other people.

4.Practise positive self-talk daily.

5. Surround yourself with positive people.

6. Focus on what your body can do, not just how it looks.

7. Avoid negative self-talk, especially around food and exercise.

8. Remember everyone has insecurities.

9. Remember to celebrate small wins in your confidence journey.

10. Practise mindfulness and gratitude.

11. Set boundaries on people who comment on your body

12. Remember that confidence is a practice not a switch!

I must take these on board myself!

Chrisxx

The most awful of crimes

 So now there's going to be an enquiry as to why young men like Axel Rudakubana aren't dealt with at an earlier age.. yet another enquiry?? He armed himself with a kitchen knife and attacked and killed three beautiful little girls, Bebe, Alice and Elsie and attempted to knife more, injuring two adults and eight other children. 

In summing up the Judge, having given Axel 52 years imprisonment, said that he wouldn't disagree with people, who had branded Axel as evil. In fact he would have given him a life sentence, but under British law for under 18s this wasn't allowed as Axil was 17, when he committed  these violent killings.

The court heard that Axel had been referred to the Government counter terrorist scheme, 'Prevent' three times in the past when he had made violent threats and for carrying a knife. So he was known as a threat to society.

Some people are saying 'Bring back hanging,' but others myself included  are of the opinion that 52 years incarceration would be a punishment indeed. 

Child killers are not treated well in prison. He'd have to be aware of other prisoners, when he is allowed to mix with them. So one can imagine, he'd be in solitary confinement for years.  No contact, no phone, no internet, only his own thoughts. I wonder does he have a conscience, will he feel sorry for the lives he has taken?

Its all very well the Prime Minister saying there will be investigations  as to how Axel was able to buy a knife on line.  But what about the other things that brought Axel to the point in his life, when to kill was his ultimate aim? What was he like in school? We know he expelled from High  School in 2019, so age 12?  And was referred to a pupil referral unit, but failed to attend, so wasn't in the Education System for a large part of his education. What ever people may think about our education system, the one thing it does do, is give a child a routine and even if the child does not achieve great Exam scores. they have the comfort pf planned days and somewhere to go! And even some pupils, who say they don't like school,  arrive in school every day!

I've taught in Key Stage I and 2, schools, so ages 5 to 11, where when asked by OFSTED Examiners, what did a child like about school, there were various answers... 

Likes were....Playtimes, games lessons, PE, when it was apparatus, painting lessons, the dinner, and a particular teacher. What they didn't like ... the toilets!! And the dinners!  I wonder what Axel might have said. 

His parents are said to be christians with a small c  rather than Muslim etc.. So what went wrong? Were they like some parents that I met, who admitted at a Parents Evening discussion, 'that they couldn't do anything with him or her!' 

Such an awful horrible crime, but we'll be ok because Starmer says, there's going to be a Government Enquiry!! And the parents of these lovely little girls are grieving. I can't imagine what they're going through.

Chrisxx

Am too childish??

While chatting to a friend recently, we mentioned Christmas TV programmes.. and it made me feel like I wasn't living the life of an adult! She hadn't watched any of these, not even one!

Or am I boring because I watched ' The Railway Children,' filmed 1970 again,  and yes I chocked up again when Bobbie, Jenny Agutter, ran towards her father shouting, 'Daddy, my Daddy,' when he arrived off the train.. who didn't?

Then, I also watched, 'The Railway Children Return.' 2022. This one was set during WW2 and the children were evacuees. Jenny Agutter was cast as a grand mother of three children and takes the last three evacuees, a sister and her two brothers to live with her too. Of course the Train Station features in this film too, altho the main gist of the story is that of a young soldier, who had run away. Jenny Agutter made history by playing the same character 54 years apart! I loved this film too, and the all the children were amazing actors,..

But then I also watched,  'The Primrose Railway Children'  2024.  A story loosely based on the original Railway Children written by Jacqueline Wilson. This was a wonderful film, a modern take, but with all the heart of the original story. I absolutely loved it. The story is about Phoebe, Becks and younger brother Perry and their Mum, up rooted from their comfortable Glasgow life, to the rugged hills of a remote area of Scotland. They are there, when their Dad goes to Japan on a mysterious business trip. Their mum says its a holiday, but it's in a ramshackle old cottage in the Scottish Highlands, with no TV, no wifi and she says 'Its a holiday??' The children try to figure out what actually happened and what is the mystery.

Yes,, a children's  story, but very good. I think I'm living the childhood I never had (no TV when I was young) 

And if this isn't the cherry on the cake. I also watched the BBC film of The Famous Five'. Julian, George, Anne, Dick and Timmy the dog,.. the books now superseded by books by J K Rowlings, Antony Horowitz and Malorie Blackman.. 

Enid Blyton was looked down on by educationalists for years, but I grew up with them and read them all. Probably to the child of today, the Famous Five books would seem boring and stuffy middle class stories, of the 1940s  and 1950s.

But I got lost in those books and I wouldn't read  Harry Potter even if you paid me!! Although I might be tempted, if I was stuck on a desert island and there was nothing else to read, because I once read a spy thriller book left on a plane, as I had run out of  books.. (Before I  had a kindle)  

Although I think someone should have told J K R, that sometimes one or two words are enough, rather than seven!

Chrisxx

The video is The 'Primrose Railway Children'

This makes me laugh!

 

I never drove in my 'jamas' but I did have my children in theirs, when I drove my ex to the train station early some morning.

Interestingly I did see other wives in dressing gowns and always gave them a wave.

It always reminded me of my aunt who lived in the Midlands and visited Porthcawl frequently. The one year when driving home, their car broke down. She was as usual dressed for comfort and was wearing slippers, so had to root around in their bags, as they  had to travel home on a train. So this was always in my mind and dressed 'proper' even for the shortest journeys. 

Although there was an occasion when driving to work one morning, I was stopped at some traffic lights when the woman in the car along side me was making sweeping motions over her head and  then pointing to me. I raised up my hand to the top of my head and on my crown was a large hair roller, taming the bit of hair which always stuck up! 

I probably would have found it before I entered the classroom, but I did go hot and cold thinking about it later!

Do you make sure you're 'tidy' when you're in your car?

Chrisxx

A Debut Novel, and all about that forgetting illness

 This is a debut novel by the actor Richard Armitage and it was a good story. Like a lot of modern novels each chapter was written by a different person, Sarah and Daniel, the main protagonists and chapters which were a back ground to the story and a third person, who was a blogger. I was slightly confused at first before I sorted in my mind the thread of the story.

  Sarah, a Nobel prize winner's  father has Alzheimer's and sadly she, herself is beginning to show the same symptoms. Her  husband Daniel, also a neuroscientist persuades her to attend the launch of a new and world changing discovery, which they've asked  Sarah to endorse. It could be the answer to the awful illness of Alzheimer.

However she is really not well and is having blackouts as well as memory loss. But with her husband by her side she feels safe. However,  it's long not before things start to go horribly wrong and Sarah doesn't know who to trust, including her own self.

This is a fast paced novel, helped by the back ground story which adds credence to the characters individual circumstances. The topic is topical too, being about Alzheimer's and dementia and it was easy to read.. a number of twists and turns and a red herring to keep you interested! 

It certainly kept me interested, it was well written, but perhaps a touch too predicable. However this didn't spoil the story for me, as I thoroughly enjoyed it, a real page turner.

                            Chrisxx

Ps. A big thank you for your comments on my previous post, I think this is the first few days, where I've felt really well and that I can cope with this catheter, which I've had now for 9 weeks!

Have I got it??

 

The lovely Pauline Quirk MBE, has announced, that she is stepping away from  acting, because she has Alzheimer's. I've loved her in 'Birds of a Feather,' and then in some roles as a serious actor. In 'Missing' she was DS Mary Jane Croft, she was in 'Broadchurch,' 'Casualty,' 'Cold Blood,' and a lot more besides.  When this was announced in the news, I thought straight away of Prunella Scales,  who also has Alzheimer's. She became totally reliant on her husband Timothy West, but he died November 2024 after a fall.. So if  actors can get this, even though their lives were a constant stream of word learning, what chance have those of us, whose only requirement of word learning was some poetry in school, to avoid this cruel illness?

Each time I forget a word I think, am I in the beginnings of Alzheimer's or Dementia? But I usually remember it, later.. Once I couldn't remember the word 'sun dial' It worried me so much, I looked up on line 'garden ornament that can tell the time by the sun!'  I have never forgotten it since and that was years ago!

Friends my age admit to forgetting words sometimes, but we all laugh and believe, if you know you've forgotten a word, you haven't got Alzheimer's!

Do you think that's true?

..................Lisa Faulkner, avocado, moussaka... a name and two words I could not remember in the last few weeks! I forbid Dh to tell me or even hint. I sort of remembered Lisa because I thought it was' Louise'  

If you've had this and feel just a bit panicky, you'll know what I mean when I question.. Have I got Alzheimer's? 

Chrisxx

What a day!

 Even pancakes couldn't have tempted me yesterday, I felt that ill. It wasn't my cough even though I was still coughing and now had the symptoms of a cold, runny nose etc.

I felt there was something wrong with my catheter, the discomfort had become pain.. I phoned the District Nurse out of hours number and it was a real person who answered! She said some one would phone me back. It wasn't long to wait when a nurse phoned me. She listened to my weepy words and suggested I might have an infection and to phone 111 the NHS out of hours help line to speak to a Dr. I was informed there was a 15min wait!! And there was..eventually after being asked questions to rule out heart attacks or a stroke I was informed a Dr would phone me shortly.

Arg!! I waited and waited and was getting more and more distressed. When the Dr phoned, English wasn't his first language. I went through all the questions again that 111 had asked.. plus what I thought were stupid questions to ask someone with a catheter in place, eg, did it burn when I weed, was there frequency??? By this time 3 hours had past since my first phone call and I was losing the will to live!

He did say he thought it could be an infection and would arrange for a prescription for me at our local pharmacy, I had to stop him because it closed at 12 on a Saturday!

Dh went to Boots in town, after 2:00 pm because the pharmacist has a lunch break and they can't give out meds when he is not there. 

I didn't start to feel ok till nearly 6 and was worn out.. the antibiotics started to work right away. But I'd had a horrible day. But you should be pleased to know I can swallow, I knew it was Saturday and the month is January! 

But my faith in the NHS has been restored, because altho I was off and on the phone all morning,  I did get the treatment I needed.. Then just after 6 the District Nurse arrived to check how I was! They work all over weekends, night and day and will visit patients when ever needed. Wow, it was a relief to see her, I have learned over these months of having a catheter, they know what to do and have  'Mary Poppins' bags where they produce things you need and made me feel safe!

A Nurse is coming Tuesday to change the catheter which is needed it seems if you have antibiotics. I 'm going to ask can I have one with a flip switch so I can regulate the flow and start to train my bladder to work again! Frightens me a bit to be honest, but I have to try.

Chrisxx

From little acorns.

 

It seems Jeff Bezos is joining the space race to get a rocket into space. When I saw this on the TV news, I had to phone my eldest son to remind him of the time he thought he was on the way to becoming a multi-millionaire. He and a friend had clubbed together and bought a whole lot of Ski-beds made from reclaimed wood on the basis, they would sell and make a huge profit. When they had, he said he'd give me a hefty sum so I could give up work and live in style. It didn't happen, the beds were slow to sell and their supplier took their money and failed to deliver. My son and his friend were out of pocket and they parted company.

But always the entrepreneur he has in the last few years,   alongside his photography work set up his own ebay business.

His photography work is his first love. He photos racing cars and motor cycles, its a self employed job and there are no race tracks open in the winter months.  Also with lockdown he had to find another way to earn money. So he started to sell used cameras and other bits on ebay. It has grown and he now makes a good sum to pay his mortgage and bills. He buys job lots of cameras, watches and other bits from auctions, cleans them, fixes them, where he can, puts batteries in them and then sells them.

So when I saw Jeff Bezos was now into the space race, the owner of Amazon, who started off selling secondhand books from his garage. I had to phone my son to remind him of his promise to me all those years ago! 

We had a good laugh, but his ebay business is doing ok and he earns enough from it to include his earnings in his tax returns sorted by his accountant.

Chrisxx

Blue skies, sunshine, a cough and an appointment!

 

It was a beautiful morning yesterday and if I hadn't developed this awful cough and cold, I would have walked to look at the sea.. but the blue skies were so lovely and because I was feeling hot, I thought a walk around the bungalow was just what I needed. Its 178 or 200 steps all the way round on the path.. One way round is easier because there are 3 individual shallow steps to go up and then round the north side there are 2 deeper steps to go down and Dh has fixed some grab bars there, so I feel safe. I walked round twice and then because it was so pleasant I sat out on the patio and listened to the birds, no other sounds and the sky was blue and the sun was shining, it was very pleasant. 

I'd also had a phone call for the appointment with the urologist the week after next, so well pleased.. Its for 8:30 am, so we'll have to leave home before 8 to get there on time!

Dh went to the Book Group Meeting by himself, as I was coughing so much.. Afterwards he went to Boots to get some more cough medicine and I asked could he get some Dequindine throat tabs, but they have been removed from sale, as they found that they contained anti-biotics, no wonder they were so good!

So cough, cough, cough! Hope Dh doesn't get it, we've stopped kissing! 

Anyone got this awful cough? I think I caught it in SW, as that new member was talking right in front of me. I doubt I'll have lost any weight, as the medicine has sugar and the throat lozenges, but I'm keeping to the food plan, arrgg I can't win!

Chrisxx

Gardening.

 These are the  snowdrops I bought in the green last year and this is last years photo! Where are they? We look every day and so far none are showing!

But I'm not giving up, because they are in front of the hedge, so a north aspect, so I expect they are still there in the soil, all 100 of them! And when they do I'll be posting pics everywhere!

We did some tidying up out there on Sunday, there was no wind so although it was only 5.7C it didn't feel too cold. I was wearing my old fleece and a scarf.. we planted the white daffodils we bought from Homebase, all reduced because its closing down. I like them in the garden where I can see them from the French doors when they come up. There are a lot of daffodils already showing, we have planted 100s here as there was only tumpy grass when we came here, so I love to see them all flowering.

We pruned the clematis out the front, which was looking a bit scraggy and cut back the dried up stems of the perennial plants. We have a  lot of self seeded aquilegias which I might reduce this spring and thin out the grape hyacinths which have spread. So it looks a lot tidier and there were two grapes left on the grape vine which were really sweet. When I'm out in the garden, I forget the catheter and I'm happy altho' Dh did the lions share of the work. We've left a garden chair out on the patio, so I can sit out with a coffee if I feel like it. I've always sat out in the garden as long as it was dry, and I'm hoping to sit outside a lot more this summer.

I am waiting now and planning for the garden, I will be sowing lupin, antirrhinums and sweet peas next month. Although we don't have a green house we have south and west facing window sills, and I bought some seed starting covered trays a few years ago, so super for growing seeds seeds. 

The last few evenings its been light at 5 o'clock so spring is on the way. Are you wanting to get started too?

Chrisxx

Clinic Appointment??

This so joyful and uplifting I had to post it. Thank you for your commiserations re:- this new laptop, I shouldn't complain many people are not in the position to be able to buy a new one, but its so frustrating. I am still struggling and can't find an easy way to save pics, unlike my old laptop.

And pleased you liked the poem, by Gaby Compres, I loved it.

I'm still struggling with this catheter and was offered an Urologist Appointment to have it removed, then checks to see if I could pass urine, but I already had something booked for that day and so said I couldn't attend. They are supposed to be sending me a new appointment, but of course they haven't although I have phoned their clinic twice and left messages, to no avail. I cannot see the point of a phone that is only able to take messages and no one answers and then no response!

So I'm just carrying on but very unhappy and still uncomfortable at night, but at least I slept 7 hours the night before last, but then last night I couldn't get to sleep, so read till 1:30 am.. What was the book you could put down Jan? (Jabblog) reading to the early hours, please share.

At this moment in time I am ready to start screaming at Drs and the lack of understanding, that we the patients are at their mercy.. they hold all the cards and although we are willing to go with their rules and restrictions, we are suffering. Well I am, the tubes from the catheter rub and I am sore and find walking agony. Its like I have barbed wire between my legs.. TMI? Sorry but that's what its like.. the straps holding the collection bag on my leg are making my lower leg and foot swell, so that's worrying me too.  Can't have the straps too loose as then the bag ends up by my ankle!

So I'm going to phone the clinic every day!! I have always said. 'Its the squeaky wheel that gets oiled!' WTS

Chrisxx

New Laptop difficulties

 I've had to  buy a new laptop  and while it works perfectly well, it has given me a lot of stress! At one point I wanted to send it back. I know all these passwords and 'one time passwords' are to keep us safe from fraud and thieves, but really how many do we need. I thought I had them all written down and I do/did, but it seems I've changed them over time, more or less all of them!! And then forgotten them and with no cookies, this new laptop doesn't know the different sites I've visited. So its been a trial of nerves and stress.

 I've screamed and had tears because with some sites it was as though I was caught in an loop, going round and round and getting no where. How can you retrieve a site if the requirement is a OTP that is being sent to another site, which you can't get on to, because you don't have the password!!! Scream, scream, scream! Dh always keeps calm and it very tech savy, but even he was flummoxed at some. We were hours setting up different email accounts, what a faff!

He wanted to help and he did except he managed to wipe my saved Words Docs, but clever new laptop sent the whole lot to my gmail account? So I was able to restore the ones I wanted, I had saved a lot of dross over the years... anyway I'm gradually getting used to it and will be really getting back into blogging and visiting blogs, but at the moment I'm struggling. 

Chrisxx

The Words I want you to Know by Gaby Compés

a list of things my soul forgot

i am still brave

i am free

i am beautiful

i have hope

i am redeemed

I am alive

and my story is still being written

i am worth more than the words i write

and i have worth even when i can not write

and i am worth even more than the sun

and the moon

and the stars

i can dream

i am not perfect and its ok to struggle

because even though i don't deserve grace

it is mine

i am lovely

and i am loved

and even if i forget the truth

that doesn't change that

it is still true.

Gaby Comprés

 Chrisxx

Disturbed night again.

 Another very bad night awake for hours, although I was comfortable and warm, I was wide awake. Its so annoying and today I'll be tired and not want to do anything, It's so hard to go walking if you feel tired, I'm wobbly at the best of times so tired as well is a recipe for disaster!

When I met my old school friend yesterday she was complaining of insomnia too and the night time loo visits. She was telling me about her ex-husband as she saw him just before Christmas. He'd not been well with a horrible cold, man flu? And had phoned her to get him some cold treatment stuff from Boots, as where he lives there isn't one. She said he did look rough, and declined going in, because she didn't want to catch it as well. He was saying how tired he was, what with this cold and having to get up at night for the toilet.. She said he was absolutely amazed when she said so did she, because he didn't know women had that too! We both laughed out loud, didn't think women had that too, we're the most getting up to the toilet at night time breed that you could have!

All my friends my age get up at least once if not more. Although I've found this catheter uncomfortable, it has meant that most nights I've slept for 7 hours! But next week I have an appointment to see the Urologist and have the catheter out. I don't know if I'll be glad or what I've got used to having a cup of tea after 7:00 pm and also not have to worry if I need the toilet when we're out. But I expect I'll cope I have done in the past, so we'll see how things go.

                      Chrisxx

Oh dear!

It was a lovely sunny day yesterday albeit chilly, pleasant for walking. We had arranged to meet a friend for a coffee in town and we needed to top up our fruit and I needed my hair cut.  Our usual coffee shop had that lovely atmosphere we love and the coffee is good.

It was nice chatting to my hair dresser too, who'd been to Morocco with all her family for the Christmas week, sixteen altogether! Temps were 20 C so very pleasant she said. I needed a good cut, so now I have very short hair! Ah well, it will grow I hope!

And for some unknown reason I decided I wanted to look in B&M, why? Because we don't buy anything in there, but I just wanted to look round. I wish I hadn't... I got lost in there. Like a lot of stores who want to optimize their shelving they make loops of them so you have to walk all the way round. There were dead ends, rows that doubled back and no exit signs. I was beginning to feel claustrophobic, when I saw Dh, with a store basket with just 2 pkts of paracetamol! And we made our escape.

I was so relieved to get out, but by this time my wee collection bag needed emptying, fortunately we were passing the town toilets on the way back to the car park and I have a radar key for the disable loo.. when we got to it, I was horrified to see it had a metal bar and it was padlocked. We had to use one of the other toilets which are no way big enough for two people, as Dh helps, we just left the door open! 

I've since discovered it is now deemed out of order because it has been vandalized and also some homeless people are sleeping there!!! We did see a supermarket trolley there in the main entrance, piled high with sleeping bags, how sad..some one suggested to complain to the town council, would anything get down if we all did? I expect their reasoning would be lack of funding.. Karl Marx was right.. 'The root of everything is money.'

Chrisxx

Arggg why did I do it?

 Although I decided to eat sensibly over Christmas and folIow the Slimming World plan, I did and I didn't!

Obviously Christmas day with Duck, as our main meal that didn't follow the SW plan, but we knew that and neither did the Christmas Pudding with fresh cream. 

( A typical SW meal. spiced mince, boiled rice and peppers)

We did buy a few extras but Christmas only comes once a year and before Christmas on the 20th it was my birthday, but we didn't go mad and have a Chinese take away. To be honest I really would have loved that! We'd been to the Garden Centre lunch time so that was nice and that was all. (I did have ice cream!)

But then Christmas was difficult both my step daughters gave me tasty treats, Chocolates, Turkish Delight and tins of biscuits. Dh bought the Cadbury's Dairy Milk, so a lot of  high calorie foods.

I can resist chocolates, but Ice cream is my biggest failure so now its all gone, we won't buy anymore. 

We're really good at cooking SW meals, the one pictured here is 

Easy Chicken Supreme, the creamy look is quark, a fat free sort of cheese.. It can have a sour taste and that's perhaps why a lot of SW recipes have a lot of herbs and spices. We have a lot of SW cookery books and do sit down  and plan our meals. When we're good, we're very good and once we're in the 'mode' we stick to the plan.

So that's what I have to do, because I have gained quite a bit, well truth be told quite a lot.. so why did I do it?

In past Christmases I haven't gained much, but the combination of this catheter, broken nights sleep and not getting out walking= weight gain!

So here I am, my clothes feel just a bit uncomfortable so a big intensive to keep to the plan.. can I? I hope I can, I'm already in a size bigger than a few years ago and I am not buying new!

All the Christmas stuff is away so not visible.. back to normal this week, started yesterday. We're meeting a friend in town for coffee but no Tiffin or Currant Bun, we'll take a SW Hi-fi bar with us! What about you, was there a weight gain?

Chrisxx

Dog love.

My heart was weeping when I read this yesterday.. a beautiful cockerpoo dog had been ill for a while, so her owners had to make the awful decision to let her go.

I knew how they were feeling, we were at the place 18 months ago.. but we like them couldn't bear to see our dog suffer.  They'd arranged to have the vet to their house and before she started the procedure they asked her to wait. 

They wanted to let their dog have some Chocolate Buttons so she'd know what all the fuss about chocolate was,  and she enjoyed everyone!

Such love, fly little one over Rainbow Ridge.. unless you've had a dog you can not know the awful hole they leave in your heart.

Chrisxx

❄️A Simple Life?

When I should be doing hundreds of things, I sometimes give in and sit down and watch this woman, so relaxing and such a simple life.

When did life get so complicated. Don't get me wrong I don't want to go back to the forties, fifties, which was when I grew up.....pre-central heating? No thank you.. But I can remember being taken to the Dr,  where we all sat in an outer room, no receptionist, no phones and in silence. Every now and then the Dr would pop his head out of a door way, shout next and some one went into his room. Every body knew who's turn it was and might even had known what the problem was too!!

Today there is a long pre-amble to get to see a Dr,  although our surgery has got a new phone system, where you get through more or less straight away and appointments are that day!

Do I want to make Peach juice out in the open with the sound of chickens and the old man's wheel barrow going round the garden doing the odd jobs??  He always knows when to stop to help when needed to lift the heavy pan, does she shout for him?  I wonder, did she always have those big pans, bowls and flat cooking trays, or were they bought for the videos, who is filming it all.. so is it a professional job? 

Thinking that spoils it for me. I want it to be just the old woman and old man going about their lives simply. There are other videos of her cooking other foods and then they sit together at a little table, usually covered by a check patterned cloth and eat together.     

Chrisxx

All of these???

 10 Things you'll never regret doing.

1. Investing in yourself

2.Taking 10 deep breaths.

3.Going to bed an hour earlier.

4.Walking 10,000 steps each day.

5.Spending more time in nature.

6.Telling someone you love them.

7. Choosing foods that nourish them.

8.Working hard on something you love.

9. Writing something you're grateful for.

10. Smile at strangers.

I'd have to change number 4 to Walking a bit further each day, but all the others seem feasible.. altho perhaps number 7 should be Foods that nourish you and in reasonable amounts!

In all my physio appointments taking a deep breath was always suggested. especially if you have to do something physically difficult for you. He used to say.. 'fill yourself with extra oxygen.'

When I go to bed earlier its to read a book and for some reason only my body clock knows why,  my eyes start to close at 23:23! I kid you not, every night the same thing happens!

I do tell my Dh everyday that I love him..other people too, sometimes.

So all 9 suggestions, may be, we'll see.

Chrisxx

I read 70 books and some I didn't like!

 I managed to read 70 books last year, including some new to me authors. My favourite book was 'The Women' by Kristin Hannah; I wrote about it in March. I'd read many others by her. But I also read some other amazing books, some on first glance weren't what I thought would appeal to me. but they surprised me as being more than just readable and others from well established authors were not so good.

One being the romantic genre, I've always avoided what was classed as  'Chick lit,' altho today known as a 'Beach' read! Barbara O'Neal's  'The Starfish Sisters.' I really enjoyed this book, so read two others by her, but no, they didn't hit the spot and I won't be reading any more by her. It sort of confirms my suspicions, that some authors write one really good book and then others are not so good. But also our likes change.. I used to love books by Erica James years ago, but then I found them too simple. So when her latest book 'The Ideal Husband' was a Richard and Judy and choice, I read it. Well it was ok, but I felt I was wading through pointless words and in the middle, I couldn't have cared less if the two main characters got back together or not! The main gist of the story is after a long and what Louisa thought was happy marriage, Kit astonished her on Boxing day, to tell he wants a divorce and so the story enfolds of how she has to start out on a new life at age 50 plus. I fell into the same trap with a Diane Chamberlain Book, ' Reflection.' I loved her books, but this one was another one in my view, was just pointless words. Such a shame as her previous books were so good. And sad to admit but the latest book by Charity Norman wasn't as good as 'Remember Me,'  which I loved. So when she announced 2 years ago she was drafting a new book, I couldn't wait, but I felt I was sadly let down. 'Home Truths,'  had all the elements to be a good read, but didn't quite make it for me.. about conspiracy theories and how it broke a family apart, when the husband Scott is convinced his brothers death happened, because he was diabetic and had ADSD.  So no effort was made to keep him alive when he collapsed. 

I read all of our Book Group choice books, some of which were awful in my view, but 'The Dictionary of Mutual Understanding,' by Jackie Copleton was such a surprise and a wonderful book, well worth you reading it. It was on a subject that you wouldn't think would be good. One women's grieving her daughter and grandson, after the Nagasaki A bomb.

But new to me authors were Jo Spain, Andrea Mara, Celeste Ng, and Ruth Mancini, were great story writers and I read more than just the one book by them. I've also read a couple more books by Elizabeth Berg, whose books are the sort of books where nothing really happens, but it is a gentle read and a comfort. 

What about your reads of last year?

Chrisxx

My New Year

 

This will be me in 2025, what about you?

Chrisxx

Happy New Year Everyone

 

Hope 2025 will bring you Joy, Happiness and Good Health

Chrisxx